DARK DEEDS

34

NIKOLAI SPEEDS THROUGH the cold dark skies dotted with the stars and a crescent of a moon.

I wonder if Salvatore sees it too and thinks of me. Or does he think of his loved ones who he lost to death?

I feel for him. He has no one but his father. I do not know what his father is like but I hope he is not like mine if not worse.

I feel bad that I have to lie to them all about the situation but do I even have much of a choice? I do not want more deaths and this lie I am about to tell ensures that.

“You can trust the boss.” Nikolai tells me as he swerves the other direction.

I do not know who to trust and if this all BACK FIRES on me  — no one will trust me.

I should have not done all this now that I think about it. It was a bad idea but I cannot back out now. It is too late now. More so as we approach the border.

I turn to Nikolai as I tell him. “Promise me something.”

“No.” He states but that does not stop me.

“If worse comes to worst, promise me that you will tell my truth as it was and is. From the night I was kidnapped to the night I made that recording on the plane to this car ride.” I plead.

“No.” he flatly responds but I do not give up.

“Please.  I have this feeling that something will go terribly wrong especially with my father, and Caterina around.

They do not like that your boss has gone against their will and set me free. They might even do something to hurt her.” I tell him.

He scoffs. “That is almost impossible but here is the deal. If something ends up happening to my boss, I will tell your truth.

If nothing happens and you mess it up for yourself, don't count on me to help you. Deal?”

“Deal.” I respond before we both go quiet. The wind howls outside, and the trees dance in the cold, sinister breeze. As the car moves forward — the borders materialize behind the thick fog.

They are all broken and burned with so many bodies littered all over the road that our car comes to a halt.

Another car comes to a stop in front of the border for a moment. It then drives over the dead bodies, mashing them to unrecognizable bits and pieces of blood and guts.

My stomach churns at the sight, stirring up the vomit that dares to come out my mouth when Nikolai commands. “Get out. Now.”

I hesitate for a moment but come out of the car nonetheless. Nikolai then swerves his car and drives off. Bullets follow after him while I stand there like a fool with my eyes closed and hands to my ears from the noise.

I remain like that even after the bullets stop; paranoid that if I move I will be shot at too but that never happens.

Instead, a pair of warm arms come around me and a fresh, masculine scent envelopes me. I open my eyes to a hard chest clothed in a black bullet proof vest.

I look up and before I know it I breath out a sigh of relief that comes with a name. “Salvatore.”

“Carina.” He caresses the strands of my hair, holding me tight. I take in his sharp jawline which now has the hint of a stubble. I reach out and run my fingers over it before they stop at his lips, all so soft and luscious.